The Coffin family name, synonymous with King Country Rugby, will once again feature in the maroon and gold jersey.
On Saturday, July 24 cousins Josh and Kauri Coffin were named as part of the Carl Carmichael-led 28-man Rams squad to contest the Heartland Championship starting next month.
Sons of the legendary brothers Phil and Hutana Coffin respectively, who racked up more than 100 caps each for King Country in the 1980s and 90s, the two did enough in the recent trial games to earn selection following their club season with the Otorohanga Golds.
Josh, one of three specialist locks, has been named as the team’s player of origin through his junior rugby with Maihiihi, while Kauri, likely to be first choice at first five-eighth, is one of three loan players.
The Coffins were two of seven debutants named following the second trial game in Piopio on Saturday, which included Isaac Griffin, Sam Green, Maximus Dunster, Diego Rangi and Kody McGovern.
Loose forwards Green, Sam Trangmar and Karney Dunster were the bolters from the trial, with Rams head coach Craig Jeffries making particular note of Green who played himself into the Rams off the back of a strong trial series.
“Sam caught our eye last week. We had to find room for him, he just played so well today that we couldn’t leave him out,” Jeffries said.
The other loan players include McGovern, who spent most of his club season with Waitomo-Tihoi before rejoining his old Greerton Marist club because of work, and 2019 Rams player Alefosio Tapili who has played his club season with Rotorua club Kahukura.
Although based in the Bay of Plenty, McGovern had a connection to King Country through his grandfather who represented King Country and played club rugby for Tihoi.
Jeffries said while McGovern had a range of skills, it was his speed that set him apart.
“He’s just got express pace, real express pace, but he’s also a very good game reader. He can cover fullback as well, he’s got a very good boot on him, but he doesn’t like using it because he loves running.”
Players not considered for selection due to injury or personal reasons were: Jack Jordan, Kaleb Foote, Kane Tamou, Hamu Dunster, Dean Church and Denzil Manu.
King Country will have warm-up games against Hawke’s Bay Development (July 31 in Taupō), Taranaki Development (August 7 in New Plymouth) and New Zealand Universities (August 14 in Te Kuiti) before their Heartland Championship campaign kicks off against Poverty Bay in Gisborne on August 21.
Trainings will be in Mangakino.
The 2021 TLC Insurance King Country Rams squad: Piahana Astle, Isaac Griffin, Bradly Jeffries, Bobby Sharp, Sam Stewart, Stephan Turner (Piopio), Carl Carmichael (captain), Dan Ross (Taumarunui Eels), Mosese Baravilala, Josevata Curuki, Leveson Gower, Josevata Malimole, Nathaniel Smith (Taumarunui Districts), Nick Barnes, Sisa Vosaki (Taupō Sports), Baven Brown Jnr, Sam Green, Liam Wano (Waitete), Cruise Dunster, Karney Dunster, Maximus Dunster (Tongariro United), Diego Rangi, Reeve Satherley (Taupo Marist), Sam Trangmar (Waitomo-Tihoi), Josh Coffin, (player of origin – Otorohanga),Kauri Coffin (loan player – Otorohanga), Kody McGovern (loan player – Greerton Marist), Alefosio Tapili (loan player – Kahukura).
Credit: Stuff.co.nz
